The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-07-02
HIS FIRST GRAFTON.
A Tenderfoot's Fourth-of-July Speech Up
in Black Bear Gulch.

in Black Bear Gulch.
The sparsely settled, treelcss and
CRASHES gulches and slopes of the
Rocky Mountains suggest little posi-
bility of enjoyment in the way of pie
MICS or the usual methods of celebrat-
ing Independence day. And yet the
mountaineers always look forward to
the day with eager anticipations of a
"good time" A gentleman spending
the summer in most dreary little
mining camp, gives the following ac-
count of the manner in which the
Fourth of July was celebrated there
and of the part he was forced to take
IN the programme:
4 Il did not know" he writes, "that
celebration of any kind was intended
and was not little surprised when my
landlady asked:
care you goin' to the big doin's up
in Black Bear Gulch, to-day?'
"'What doingsP' asked.
"'Why, Amt you heerd bout EN-?
There's goin' to be speechin', an sing
in, an oratin, an foot-racin', an all
sorts of COINS on, up to the gulch.
Ev'ry bodys goin'.
$50 concluded to 90. The spot
where the celebration was held was two
miles distant. When l reached it l
found nearly two hundred persons as
sembled, about twenty women and girls
among the number. A rude platform
had been erected, and several enter
prising persons had refreshments of
various kinds for sale on rude counters
under the few scattering trees on the
mountain slope. Two violins and big
drum composed the orchestra. The
foot-racing programme had been carried
out, and l was patiently waiting for the
appearance of the person who was to
do the 'oratin',' when self-appointed
master of ceremonies vaulted lightly to
the platform and said:
=" It's time for the speechifying part
of this ere celebration. Any body that
wants to do it can come forward and
Begin
mo one seemed inclined to accept
this generous offer.
Where's Bob Haynes?' asked the
man on the platform. He's the gabbiest
man in this country He can beat an
auctioneer.'
THE gifted Bob not appearing, the
speaker cried out:
"'Well, come long, somebody! This
is a paterotic crowd, amt it? Amt
any body here got freedom an Fourth
of July enough in em to give the old
flag word an make the American
eagle feel good? Has this thing got to
wind up with little hooray or two for
liberty, an nothn' else?'
There was no reply. Just then, to
my amazement. the man, total stran-
ger to me, suddenly pointed one long
finger towards me and cried out:
"'Here stranger, you've got tongue
in your head, amt ye? Come long
here an crate sonnet
eyes, go long! say somethin'! cried
some one else.
Il had never attempted speech in
public in my life, and my blood ran
cold at the thought of doing so. But a
dozen voices cried out:
eyes, yes, stranger; give us a
speechr
"I-I-indeed'- tried to say, but
the man on the platform roared out,
laughing as he said it:
"Here, why don't you boys 'scort
the gentleman to the PLATFORM Can't
yer have some style bout yer?'
"At once was kindly but effectively
lifted forward by the laughing crowd,
and in moment found myself on the
platform, with cold chills running down
my back. My tormentor said:
Ladies an gentlemen, 1 now have
the honor of introducin' one of the ora
tors of the day, whose name l don't
happen to know But that don't make
any difference. Now, mister, give the
old flag send-off! You talk. and we'u
do the hoorayin."
Ladies' and gentlemen" 1 began,
81 can't say that find pleasure in this
honor
"Hooray! hoorayr
'For l feel myself wholly incompe-
tent to say any thing worthy the atten-
tom
"Hooray! hooray! hooray"
"Of so large-and-good-natured-
Observation-Disclosures an audience OF
American citizens"
"Hooray! hooray! Pile it on strangerl
Go ahead! We can stand itn'
"I-I-really, gentlemen"-
"Hooray! hooray! hoorayp'
"Really, gentlemen, find it difficult
to give expression"-
"Hooray! hooray! hooray!'
81 could not endure the ordeal any
longer, and eluding the hands that tried
to detain me, amid the boisterous
laughter of the crowd, 1 ran for my
horse, and jumping into the saddle, in
few minutes was racing down the
gulch, the wild 'hooray" of the crowd
ringing in my ears. That was my first
and last attempt to "orate. y Youth,
Companion.
Why are we always so much more